The Darkest Pegasi
by timedrift
Summary: [FE7] A band of mercanaries travel the continent while a sinister organisation based in Ilia start their secret plans. And what of the girl that's being hunted by the organisation...Sorry, discontinued.
1. Humble Beginnings

This is my first ever story so it is kinda crap. I will only continue this story if reviews come in. Btw, I'll write up to two chapters for people to see.

Prologue 

A dark shape loomed over the skies of Ilia. Closer and closer it came, its speed so fast, it looked like it might collide with the Ilian mountains. A cloud covered the moon, making the shape indistinguishable in the darkness. It landed at the base of a mountain where trees grew sparsely. A man in a dark cloak and deep cowl got off his pegasus. There were two things wrong with this. Only women were allowed to ride pegasi and pegasi were white. In this case, the pegasus was darker than the darkest shadow and knew only unquestionable loyalty to his master. The man looked at the trees and nodded.

"Come over here, Shukan. Break those branches with your hooves." he commanded.

Shukan obeyed. He reared up and struck at the trees. A scream pierced the night and a girl, around fourteen years old, ran southward towards Sacae. The man smiled. "She is the one." he said to himself.

A cloud shifted and the moon shone. Something glinted off the man. It was a Delphi Shield.

Chapter 1 – Humble Beginnings

It had been four years since that incident. Garose sat on a log with his sword. Satisfied that it was clean and sharp, he sheathed it and tied the scabbard to his belt. It was a desolate area and no bandits wandered around but he liked to feel the familiar weight of his sword. "After all, emergencies can happen." he reasoned. Garose walked toward the little forest, the sound of someone gasping for breath getting louder. "What happened this time?" he asked Derok.

Derok was a warrior from one of the clans that lived in the western isles. A champion with an axe, his clan saw that his potential could grow no more if he stayed with them and sent him to travel the Elibe continent in search of rivals. Being a typical warrior, he would always fight first and ask questions later. In this case, he had eaten a huge feast and asked for the bill later. He was shocked to find that he was broke. Since he was a warrior, he could use the bow to some extent and went out hunting where he clumsily sumbled onto a group of bandits.

"Fall beneath a worshipper of Durbans!" Derok had roared before he had chargedat the group, killing five instantly with a swing of his mighty axe. More came from within the forest and soon there were too many to take, even for Derok. That was when Garose came in.

Strong, smart and handsome, he was what every fighter should've been. He had grown up in an orphanage in Bern, studying Elibe's history and sneaking away to watch battles in the arena. His hero was Hartmut, one of the Eight Legends, and to Garose, he was the perfect role model. Garose copied many arena moves, sometimes even getting lessons from some of the fighters. He studied tactics and Elibe geography. He trained with a sword and, occasionally, an axe. He helped younger ones in the orphanage in times of need, copying the good side of the Black Fang. When he left the orphanage at eighteen years old, he fought in the arenas as often as he could, risking his life to save up money. Could life get any better?When he had saved up enough, he bought camping and travelling supplies and, eventually, a Brave Sword. Garose, who had earned the name 'Servant of Hartmut', had always known he would love travelling so he knew being a mercenary was the perfect life for him.

Three years later, after travelling to Etruria en route Lycia and being hired many times, he had rescued Derok who insisted on repaying Garose by travelling with him. Derok had never seen Bern so the campanions travelled there en route Lycia again, stopping at arenas and camping out in the open. Both enjoyed this simple life for even if mercenaries were goin through hard times now, they always found alternatives.

"I'd just finished using my bow. I started swinging my axe around a bit but I got the cramps so I stuck it in a tree to massage my arm. Now I can't get it out!" complained Derok. Garose walked over to the axe, wriggled it around a bit and pulled out the axe cleanly.

"And to think those arena fighters called you the Axe of Durbans." teased Garose, casting a casual glance at his friend,"One, why were you swinging your axe around. Two, why did you stick it in a tree?"

"You're letting it all go to your head just 'cause they call you the Servant of Hartmut!" spat Derok, his face turning red with anger.

"You're _sooo _gullible." thought Garose, his face cool, caml and collected. Being calm infuriated his friend even more.

"You think you're so great with your sw-"

"Oh shut up and stop blustering, Derok." came a voice from the camp. "And you keep your mouth shut too, Garose. You know you always win at teasing him so just stop."

Derok glowered at the young woman but kept his mouth shut. He really liked her but knew that Garose had already won her first which made him just a little bit jealous. "She really is beautiful." he thought. "Her magenta coloured hair falling to her waist. I love it when she leaves it out, especially when it flies in the wind...And her face! Those clear, blue eyes, her dazzling smile..." Derok shook his head, dispersing such thoughts.

Garose walked up to the young woman, feigning a look of surprise. "You heard us all the way from here, Kerna? You must have good hearing."

"Stop pretending. Derok is twenty four, you're twenty one, I'm twenty and yet you two never stop acting so babyish." she scolded but a warm look passed her face when she looked into Garose's eyes. "Those eyes are such a rich, deep green...I wonder if he feels the way I do..." Of course, she had no way of knowing that Derok had said nearly the same thing a few moments ago. Ever since the mage had finished her training and joined the two mercenaries in Etruria, she had gotten used to their bickerings. They all knew she had a soft spot for Garose but Derok had tried to impress her nonetheless.

"I got a present for you while I was in town today." said Derok, turning redder then he already was.

"Thank you, Derok. I'll look at it after dinner. You did catch something for dinner didn't you? Because I don't think it was worth spending the time and money on the present if you didn't get me something I needed to survive."

"Don't worry. I bought supplies to last us to the next town. Tonight is our last night here. We move onto Araphen then on to Bulgar." said Garose. He was officially their leader and, since he knew the most about Elibe, chose the best places to go.


	2. A Horse and a Hand

Chapter 2 – A Horse and a Hand

"Are you sure you're alright?" asked Garose with concern.

"I can take care of myself! I am a mercenary mage, for Elimine's sake!" replied Kerna grumpily. She hated the fact that they treated her like a little girl. She thought she would at least get some freedom by becoming a mercenary but here she was, surrounded by people she thought she had escaped.

Derok shook his head. "You're lying, Kerna. If there's one thing I know about magic users, it's that magic takes a terrible toll on their energy levels."

Garose and Kerna looked at Derok, stunned. "How'd you know that?" asked Kerna. Derok looked affronted. "I'm not stupid you know."

"You sure act that way." muttered Garose to himself. Kerna giggled a little on hearing Garose but then turned serious. "How is my magic making me weak now?" she quizzed.

"Well, you did practise a lot with the fire tome I gave you and you might be tired now. You certainly seem slower. Physically, of course. I've also noticed that in the arena, the sages don't move anywhere but they seem to have their energy drained. So I put two and two together and figured it out." replied Derok.

"How much money do we have?" asked Garose suddenly.

"Ummm...more than...10 000g. That's all I know." answered Derok.

"Good. That's enough for a horse. I've figured it all out. We buy a horse so we can alternate riding it. That way we can have less rest stops since we don't get tired often. If not, we can buy more supplies and use it as a pack horse."

"What about supplies _for_ the horse? And what if the horse gets tired?" Kerna's eyes were shining with the idea but she still needed to know if there were problems.

"The Sacaens' horses run all day. Lots of the horses are wild but some get caught and some of the people bring them to Lycia." said Garose, "Plus, we can get supplies from the same market. There's always something there."

"Perfect, I need a new hand axe. This one is falling apart. Huh? What's wrong, Garose?" Garose had just stopped. "We can't go to Araphen. The marquess hates Sacaens and they're the ones who bring the horses in." Kerna felt saddened that the horse she wanted would have to wait until they reached Bulgar. Then she brightened. "Do you reckon the horses are sold at Tania or Khathelet? I wouldn't mind if it was just a Lycian horse really."

"Why are we going to Lycia anyway? Couldn't we just cut to Bulgar?" asked Derok, staring hard at a map.

"I'm surprised you even know how to use a map. I want ot visit Lycia because I heard that mercenaries are in demand. Plus, I think the horses are cheaper." He didn't add that he also wanted to visit orphanages. "We go to Khathelet then onto Araphen and Bulgar. We stick to Araphen because I heard that mercenaries were needed there the most. It seems that there have been rebellions against the marquess for baring the Sacaens and I want to see it for myself if it's true."

"You know, if you want a horse, you'll have to get use to the smell!" exclaimed Derok, holding his nose.

"I used to go to Count Caerleon's stables all the time. Troubadours and valkyries used the horses and, since my uncle and the count are good friends, the count let me ride his horses. Let's check 'em out!" The trio wandered for hours, overwhelmed not just by the horses but all the items up for sale.

"It seems we came to a festival right on time." observed Garose, critically studying a huge, strawberry roan horse. Kerna was looking at aretired dun battlehorse when she heard a man yelling and whipping a small horse. She ran over yelling "Don't hurt that poor thing!"

"What's it to you kid?" the ownder spat. Kerna was shaking with fury, small flames erupting near her, surprising people and sending themscurrying for cover until they thought it was safe. The owner realised she was a mage and backed down. Kerna ran her expert eye over the horse. It was small, had a shaggy grey coat (a winter coat she supposed) and a couple of whip marks. Its coat was caked with dried mud. "What type of horse is this?" she enquired curiously.

"It's a steppes horse. Y'know, from Sacae. i bought her from a Sacaen fellow who was too poor to take care her. Fellow was crying but he had no choice. I've had her for two and a half years and look! Already half dead! Never trust those savages and their half dead mounts! No-one wants to buy her. That's why she's only 3 500g." Kerna was angry at the rascist man in front of her but she thought of a way to make him pay. He had already offered a low price. Why not make it lower?

"I'll give you 2 500g."

"What! 3 250g."

"2 750."

"3 100g."

"I'll only go as far as 2 750g. Good day." Kerna turned to leave.

"No, wait! How about 3 000g!"

"I'll take her." Kerna looked into the intelligent, liquid brown eyes of the beautiful-to-be horsse and stroked her, talking to her. The horse sighed with pleasure and instantly loved Kerna. It hadn't been loved for two and a half long years.

"Garose, hey, Garose! Get over here!" Kerna took a few steps toward Garose and was surprised to find the mare following her! "How much?" asked Garose with a smile. Then he saw the broken horse and added in an undertone"It better be worth it." Kerna gave him the price and his smile broadened. "Your charm is unbelievable."

"I think I'll call you...Khathelet, after the city I found you in. It sounds like a femine name too, eh?" The mare nickered at the sound of her voice, enjoying a long needed rub down and grooming. Garose joined them.

"I'm glad you bought that horse. She was cheap and and she looks promising not that she's cleaned up."

"Yeah. I've named her Khathelet. I wonder if -"

A scream came from the town centre. Rushing out of the inn stables, Garose and Kerna, followed by Khathelet, watched as several black horses with black cloaked riders grabbed some teenage girls. Kerna immediately vaulted onto Khathelet and girl and horse thundered towards the mysterious men, Kerna already summoning fire from her tome.

"Kerna, no!" Garose sprinted into the fray, joined seconds later by Derok, twirling his hand-axe. The black horses reared in fright from the flames cast by Kerna. They were strangely tuned up by the sun light already. Their world was always in darkness. Several men let go of the girls but it wasn't until Garose and Derok joined the scrum that all girls were accounted for. Yet the horsemen kept on fighting and Garose was knocked down by flailing hooves. He saw someone else go down as well, a child by the look of what Garose could see, which was a hand. Garose grabbed the hand, which belonged to a young boy, and crouched down low, protecting the boy like he used to protect his fellow orphans if they were teased.

Finally, the horsemen fled. Garose didn't know why he grabbed the hand. Why should he just happen to be near a boy who needed help? It was impulse, he guessed. When the dust finally settled, everyone started crowding around him.

"Oi! Cut him some slack! Let him breathe!" called Derok. The crowd dispersed, leaving the trio alone. Garose looked at the boy's face and gasped out loud. Through all the blood spouting from a cut on the temple, Garose saw a face that had haunted his dreams for the first few months of his orphanage life. He was looking at a younger version of his parents' murderer. Not only that, he wasn't wearing village clothes but a black cloak.


	3. The Shadow Pegasi Revealed

Chapter 3 – The Shadow Pegasi Explored

"So far, all I know is that he was riding double with a Black Cloak and that he has a huge appetite." said Garose grumpily. It had been three days since the attack and the trio were sitting around a little camp-fire, eating breakfast in a sizeable, cosy cave. Or rather, Derok and Kerna were tucking into bacon while Garose was picking at his food. Kerna had never seen Garose so distracted or frustrated.

"I still don't understand why so many black feathers were left on the ground afterwards." Kerna had racked her brain to try to find explanations but none would make sense.

"I saw what looked like the leader, wearing a black cloak with black feathers lining the edge." replied Derok. He had fought the leader himself and was close to winning before the Black Cloak took off. Kerna shook her head.

"There were more feathers than just for lining. It couldn't have come from the horses because pegasi are white. The witnesses also say that the Black Cloaks rode into the square. I've tried matching the feathers to birds that I've studied but they don't match any." The feathers were puzzling Kerna, if not freaking her out a little. She could detect a slight magical force in them and she noticed that the darker the feathers, the more magical potential they had.

"Those men don't know how to treat their mounts. Did you see the way those horses bucked and screamed? It was as if the Sun was burning them. I've never seen horses behave that badly." thought Derok out loud.

"Let's go and see if our guest has anything to say _now_." said Kerna determinedly. The three walked to the back of the cave and turned left where a small alcove was set in the wall.

The seven pegasi knights had flown from Khathelet all he way to the Ilian mountains. The night sky was a beautiful, clear field full of bright stars. But the knights did not notice. They had lived on the mountains long enough to grow bored of the sky, be it day or night. They descended into a small valley surrounded by impenetrable mountains on all sides. The only way in seemed to be from the air. A light wind blew through the valley and brought snow into a large, enigmatic castle that reached up to the sky. The pegasi descended in front of the citadel and a small crowd of more cloaked men came rushing to meet.

"Give our pegasi medical attention. They have been flying non-stop for about three nights without rest or food. At least we humans had something to eat." commanded a hoarse voice from under the cowl of the leader.

"Non-stop!" cried a guard indignantly. "Have you learnt nothing? These magnificent pegasi are not our slaves! They help us on their own free will and you repay them like that?"

The leader turned to the guard who had spoken out. "You dare to speak like that to the Top Winged Cloaksman? It is my turn to question you, young man! Do we not teach you to respect elders?" he demanded irately. The young guard lowered his head.

"Forgive me, sir. I did not think before I opened my mouth. I am truly ashamed of myself."

"Don't worry about. Just forget it, okay?" replied the leader. The guard nodded and he and some others led the horses away to be taken care of. The leader's fellow knights staggered wearily off to their warm beds. Keltar would've given anything to follow them but he still had work to do. With a sigh, he trudged up the stairs to the heart of the castle where the throne room lay. He looked at the huge doors. They were carved with humans and pegasi battling another group of humans and pegasi. It was supposed to represent what would happen if ever white and shadow pegasi ever mixed.

Keltar twisted the Delphi Shield-shaped door knob and entered. The throne room looked nothing like the ones in royal houses. It was dark with torches set along the walls and a round table set in the middle. Directly at the head of the table and facing the door, a winged throne sat, shining eerily in the darkness. Candles were set in two pegasi like candle holders while behind the throne but on either side of it hung two tapestries that contained an ancient language that no-one but the ruler could read.

Sitting on the throne was a man with a deep black robe. A Delphi Shield hung around his neck and a hood covered his face but Keltar knew he was watching him. Suddenly, the man spoke. His voice was melodious and neither warm nor cold. "You are in such a rush to report to me that you don't even change into a robe, let alone rest. Have you not learnt to take care of yourself, Keltar?" he asked with a little amusement.

"I'm sorry if I interrupted anything you were doing, Lord Galben, but I truly wanted to finish the mission right away."

"Then did you find the girl?" asked Galben with a hint of desperation.

"I'm sorry, milord. None of the girls we saw was the one. We were attacked and had to flee."

Galben slumped back into his throne. "Grr, that girl is elusive. She is heir to the Winged Throne! We _must _find her before I join my ancestors. As much as I hate to, I must break the line of my ancestors and pass on this amulet to a stranger." Galben fingered his Delphi Shield. It was proof that he was the leader of the Shadow Pegasi and it had to be passed on. Otherwise the group and pegasi would die out. Keltar fidgeted around a little, as if he was trying to stop what he was about to say, but then he could contain himself no longer.

"Why is it a girl! And a young one to boot! For centuries our brotherhood has existed by the strict code. We are the only ones who can control Shadow Pegasi. Us! Males!" Galben looked up from a book that was lying on the table.

"Are you so ambitious that you would ignore the prophecy? Keltar, I know. You want to become the head of this majestic brotherhood. We all know that the Shadow Pegasi are a dying race. Only the leadership of a woman can keep us thriving. Do not forget that, cousin." Keltar flushed though the darkness hid his face so Galben didn't see.

"I'm sorry, milord. My trust in your decisions shall not waver again. It's just… we won't be a true brotherhood anymore, what with a girl leading us…"

"I'll see that your trust will not waver again. As for the brotherhood, I think we will have to live with what will come. You had better go to the infirmary. Good night." Keltar bowed and walked out, closing the door quietly behind him. "You heard all that, I assume?" asked Galben. A hunched shadow moved next to the throne.

"Torren heard everything. Torren did not miss a thing. Torren will do anything for his saviour brother."

"Our parents were willing to kill you for your deformity." said Galben quietly, staring straight at the door. "I recognized your potential as an assassin. When we joined the Shadow Pegasi, you willingly served the man who like a true father to us all. He was our grandfather. Now I am the acting father to all of the brothers here. Will you serve me as willingly?"

"Torren will do anything. To kill for the brotherhood is Torren's pride. The last thing the victim will see is Torren's deformed face which will haunt them in the afterlife. Torren lives to serve the brotherhood."

"Then go, my brother. In the name of the Brotherhood of the Shadow Pegasi, track down the traitorous Keltar. Watch him closely. If he says anything that might endanger us, take his life."

"Torren will not disappoint you." Torren moved back into the shadows and Galben only knew he was out of the room when the door opened and closed seemingly on its own accord. "For someone who is scarred, hunch-backed and has a limp, he sure moves gracefully and quietly." thought Galben. He closed his eyes and spoke out loud. "Where did I go wrong in bringing you up, Keltar? You were second-in-command and the closest family I have, closer even than Torren… in a way. Now you have incurred his wrath. Why Keltar?" Galben had whispered the last to words.

Meanwhile, Keltar was swiftly striding towards his room instead of the infirmary. "What if the prophecy is wrong? Only a man is truly capable of leading this great brotherhood. Women shouldn't even be in the lowest level, let alone lead us. Maybe I could somehow take…" he stopped. He thought he detected a presence.

"Ah, so you notice Torren. You _do_ doubt the prophecy. Torren had hoped it was not so. It will be sad to lose you but you endanger us all." Keltar turned towards to where he thought Torren was, clutching a dagger fearfully but was struck down by Torren instantly. "You tried to attack. Hmm, what's is this? You were going to use your Feather Dagger? Not even dark magic can bring Torren down, but be that as it may, you were a true Shadow Pegasus Knight till the end." Torren placed the feather-shaped dagger which initiated access to the brotherhood onto Keltar chest and folded Keltar lifeless hands across the blade for someone to find his body. "Torren almost forgot! The brotherhood must now find someone to replace Keltar as a Winged Cloaksman. The other four will be surprised when they find out one of their number is gone."

"What! My son is gone! No, it can not be! Listen, you. I murdered suspected Shadow Pegasi spies. After that, my wife left me and my son because of what I did. He is my only pride and joy. He grew up learning the teachings of this brotherhood. Since I am busy, I leave him in your care for his first mission and now he is gone!"


End file.
